Chris Lombardi puts defense and security under the spotlight, as he shares his takes on recent NATO and EU cooperation and provides insight into the company’s own long-term strategic partnerships in Europe.

Three trends are currently driving the global electricity sector: decarbonization, decentralization and differentiation. Utilities are making significant contributions to mitigate carbon emissions, while a technology revolution is …

IN BRIEF

LUXEMBOURG and Austria will not be called on to lift their unilateral bans on gene altered maize in the immediate future, the European Commission admitted this week. The institution argues that the bans should be lifted, but failed to win sufficient support for its calls top EU scientific experts voted on the issue earlier this week. The controversial maize, produced by Swiss multinational Novartis, was approved for cultivation within the EU in 1996, following a request from France.

European Voice

4/15/98, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 3:12 AM CET

TRADE preferences will not be re-opened with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and Croatia will not be integrated into the EU’s Phare technical assistance programme, the Commission decided this week. A question mark still hangs over Croatian trade preferences, which insiders suggest could be “questioned” if the country does not implement reforms.

THE Commission this week called for an EU-wide debate to be launced on the future of Europe’s public health policy. In a report unveiled by Social Affairs Commissioner Pádraig Flynn, the institution argued that a three-pronged approach was needed to meet future public health challenges: improved information on health issues, better preventive strategies and tougher measures to tackle diseases.

THE British government has outlined its plans for complying with EU working time rules. The proposals, which will bring the UK into line with the Union’s Working Time Directive, were unveiled by Trade and Industry Secretary Margaret Beckett. The main provision of the law is a maximium 48-hour week. The UK’s previous Conservative administration launched an abortive legal challenge to the directive at the European Court of Justice after it was agreed in 1993.

A SMALL majority of Swiss people would be in favour of their country joining the EU, an opinion poll revealed this week. The survey carried out by a Swiss television station showed that 47% of the population would vote in favour of joining the Union, while 42% would reject membership. The remaining 11% were undecided.